Nearly all Iowa grocery shoppers report their households consume real meat, poultry and dairy foods regularly; they see those foods as healthy; and many are likely to eat even more after learning the unique nutritional characteristics of those foods, according to the latest Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index. The index also shows that virtually all Iowa grocery shoppers trust Iowa farmers, and they're confident that farmers overall are implementing sustainable practices.

The annual survey, now in its eighth year, was conducted online by the Harris Poll in summer 2021. The Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index asked 500 Iowans, ages 20 to 60 with primary or shared household grocery shopping responsibilities, about their purchasing habits and attitudes.

Click here to view or download a PDF file of an infographic summarizing the survey results.

Iowans recognize the nutrition of real meat

The survey finds 97% of Iowa households eat meat and/or dairy at least weekly, and nearly nine in 10 Iowa grocery shoppers consider milk (89%) and meat (88%) from animals to be healthy options when considering foods and beverages in an average diet.

"While you can get protein from plant sources, animal-based proteins are unique because they are complete proteins. They provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. Meat and dairy are also excellent sources of nutrients like zinc needed for growth and immunity," says Ruth Litchfield, professor emeritus of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University.

Those nutritional attributes, and others, appear to resonate with Iowa grocery shoppers, according to the survey. After learning the weight loss and muscle tone benefits of a high-protein diet, and that dietitians say the "highest-quality" protein comes from real meat, eggs and dairy, 70% of Iowa grocery shoppers say they are likely to eat more of those foods. Additionally, 73% say they're likely to increase their consumption of these foods after learning that they're natural sources of vitamin B12 (which helps with nervous system function and brain development in children, and is rarely found in plant foods). And 72% say they're likely to eat more meat and poultry after learning that those foods provide the majority of zinc (which helps our immune systems function properly) in Americans' diets.

Learning about sustainability of farming spurs confidence

Iowa grocery shoppers give farmers high marks for their efforts to protect the environment, with 84% saying that they're confident Iowa farmers are caring for the environment responsibly, and 78% saying they're confident that Iowa farmers are taking on the challenge of improving water quality.

And, after learning that U.S. agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions per unit of food, fiber and energy produced has declined by approximately 24% since 1990, 75% express confidence that farmers are implementing sustainable practices.

"Sustainability is more than a buzzword for farmers. It's at the heart of what we do. Continuous improvement in protecting the land and water is what will allow our farms and local communities to thrive for generations to come, and farmers are constantly working toward that. I'm really glad to see that Iowa grocery shoppers notice and have confidence in those efforts," says Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau.

Iowans say farmers are trustworthy

Iowans' positive feelings toward farmers extend beyond their environmental efforts. When asked, 94% of Iowa grocery shoppers say they trust Iowa farmers. And 88% say they're confident that Iowa farmers are caring for their animals responsibly.

"As farmers, we're responsible for providing Iowans and people around the world with their food, while caring for our animals and the environment. That's an awesome responsibility, and it's one that we take very seriously," Hill says. "We're honored to know that Iowans trust the work we're doing, and we're committed to building that trust through continuous improvement."

Methodology

The Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index was conducted online from June 24 to July 14, 2021, within the United States by the Harris Poll on behalf of the IFBF, among 500 adults aged 20 to 60 who live in Iowa and have primary or shared responsibility for household grocery shopping. Figures for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

Lamm is Iowa Farm Bureau's public relations specialist.

Source: Iowa Farm Bureau, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren't responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.